You see, my students aren’t your everyday students. They are the men and women that will fly on spacecraft and live on the International Space Station for months at a time.

I enter the classroom about ten minutes before my scheduled start time. As I go through the motions of signing on to the computer, opening my presentation and setting out my materials I think through the upcoming class. I’ve taught this material many times before, so I’m not worried. I finish getting things in place and settle into a chair as I wait for my student. Soon, she walks through the door, sets her backpack down, puts away her phone and looks up.“Hi!” I say. “I’m Kristen and I’ll be your instructor today. I understand this is one of your last classes before you leave the country. How has the training been so far? Are you feeling ready to launch?”

Yes, launch. You see, my students aren’t your everyday students. They are the men and women that will fly on spacecraft and live on the International Space Station for months at a time. They come from all different countries and all different backgrounds.Today, I will teach about ...